Have you heard of silicone baking mats? These are silicone impregnated fiberglass sheets that can be placed on a baking sheet to replace parchment paper or aluminum foil. But that is not all they replace. They are not new. Professional bakers have been using them for years. Today, they are becoming a common piece of cookware at home. There is not much to knowing how to use silicone baking matts. Your place them on a baking sheet and then bake cookies, pastries, etc. on them. But, why are they better than regular baking sheets? Why should you use them? There are several advantages to using silicone baking sheets over regular metal baking sheets.

1. They Replace Parchment Paper or Aluminum Foil

Parchment paper is silicone impregnated paper. When you use it to line baking trays to bake cookies and other baked goods on, you don’t need any grease and there is no sticking. Silicone baking mats, such as the BakeitFun Silicone Baking Mat Silicone Baking Mat, replace rolls of parchment paper and can be used over and over. Saving money and causing your kitchen to be a little bit greener. They will also stand in nicely at times when you would normally use aluminum foil liners. Not only do they seem to have almost magical non-sticking qualities, they can be used up to 2000 times. They are made to fit into rimmed baking sheets or to place on flat cookie sheets and they can withstand temperatures of up to 480°F but also be taken straight from the freezer to the oven.

Another advantage over silicone baking sheets over metal baking sheets is that they can be used in the microwave! Check to make sure your particular mat is safe for this use, though.

2. Easy to Clean

Since nothing sticks to silicone baking mats, they are very easy to clean. A quick soap and water clean up is all you need, there is no scrubbing, soaking, or other cleaning hassles. If you are baking something that is messy, with a lot of sugar or butter, for instance, you’ll love them. They are perfect for turnovers or pocket pies. You do need to lay them flat or hang them, to dry, though. They resist staining and odors.

3. You Need Fewer Cookie Sheets

Normally, if you wanted to make many batches of cookies, you’d be laying out your cookies on one baking tray while another one baked in the oven. You need at least two cookie sheets for that, and if you are baking a huge batch with two ovens, for example, you’d need up to four. With silicone baking sheets, you only need one or two metal baking trays (depending on the number of ovens you have going). Several silicone mats can be used to line one or two cookie sheets. You just lay out your cookies on a mat while a batch is cooking on another mat, and when they are done, you slide off one mat and slide on the new one. Of course, they take up a lot less storage space, and they can even be rolled up for storage.

4. There Is Less Burning or Browning

Silicone baking mats have the same advantage that parchment paper can give you. There tends to be less browning on the bottom of baked goods and less potential for burning. Silicone mats are especially good for baking fish on, as you won’t have to worry about the fish sticking and tearing when you lift it off the mat. As well, if you are using any sort of sticky glaze, you’ll appreciate the non-stick surface of the mat.

And while we’re at it, there is less spreading of cookies on silicone mats.

5. They Are Also Good For Kneading Dough On

A regular silicone baking mat can be used to knead dough on. It’s great for kneading pizza, bread, or even pie dough. The dough doesn’t stick to the mat (as badly) and, although you still need to use flour to incorporate into the dough, you don’t have to worry as much about sticky dough clinging to the kneading surface. As well, silicone pastry mats are available with measurements, to use for rolling out pie and other pastry dough. Professional bakers use silicone mats for working with fondant, chocolate, sugars, and other sticky things. Here is where, however, you will find out the truth. Things will stick to silicone mats.

The prices of silicone mats have dropped. Used to be, a silicone baking mat would cost you around $20, but now you can buy one for as little as $10 and up to $20. I would recommend against purchasing the cheapest one you can find!

Silicone baking mats are not the only game in town. You can get silicone baking cups for cupcakes as well as baking cups in other shapes; silicone muffin pans, and round silicone cake pan liners to fit 8 or 9-inch cake pans. It is even possible to do away with metal cake pans and use silicone cake pans. Keep in mind that, with the explosion of such products on the market, the quality may be uneven. Some of the materials, for example, may be too thin and flexible to use effectively for a large baking vessel. Another option, however, are steel-framed and silicone lined baking pans, which are available in cake pans and muffin pans. I do not know how well these perform, however.

Further Uses and Notes

Although, for the most part, you should never need to grease, oil, or flour a silicone baking mat, there are times when it is advisable to spray them with nonstick cooking spray, such as when you are making a very sticky candy. An example would be making homemade marshmallows.

Another use for silicone mats that not many will be aware of, is that you can use two of them to keep baked items flat or to flatten something that you need to be flat. For example, when baking sheets of phyllo dough that you wish to keep flat, you can place one silicone mat on top to keep them from puffing up unevenly.

And, silicone baking mats are not just limited to baking. You can use them for warming up foods in the oven, and they can even work in a toaster oven.

Certain baked goods may not bake as crisp as you would like on a silicone matt, so keep this in mind when using.

Cleaning

It is not true that nothing “sticks” to silicone baking sheets. They will get a coating of oil and a general muckiness. As well, if you are kneading dough on one and there is too much moisture, the dough will stick. They clean off very easy with soap and water, but they are bit awkward to clean due to their floppiness. You can put them in the dishwasher! However, I find that they take up too much room and I personally do not like using the dishwasher unless it is quite full and not just of a few large items. As easy as they are to clean, it is not easy clean-up that I find to be their chief virtue. If clean-up were my issue, I’d stick to parchment paper.

PREMIUM QUALITY DESIGN: Made from durable, flexible, food-grade silicone that is oven-safe to 480 degrees F, this two-pack set of baking mats provides the ultimate convenient and healthy way to upgrade baking and roasting. Turn any half-sheet pan into a non-stick surface, eliminating fattening oils, grease, messy sprays, and expensive parchment paper for clean, effortless food removal without waste, hassle, or extra calories.

BETTER BAKED GOODS: Designed for use in all types of ovens (except direct-fire ovens), these professional-grade (BPA Free) mats can be used with pans or sheets to improve overall heat distribution and air circulation, for even and consistent results, with no burned or undercooked spots.

REUSABLE & ECONOMICAL: These eco-friendly, non-stick mats can be used again and again, therefore saving money on sprays, oils, and butter plus parchment paper, aluminum foil, and other standard pan and sheet preparation materials, as well as eliminating waste after use.

HIGHLY VERSATILE: The baking options are nearly endless with these handy non-stick mats, including cookies, sticky caramels, gooey bread, or even baked fish. They are a baker's dream at preventing messes, catching drips and spill-over from bubbling casseroles or pies. These mats are also resilient enough to handle metal spatulas or utensils without damage (avoiding serrated edges), unlike other pans and baking sheets prone to scratches and wear.

EASY-TO-CLEAN: Forget about scrubbing baked-on foods, and save time and effort with these non-stick mats that wipe clean quickly and easily with soap and water. Also dishwasher safe (top rack only).

OVEN/MICROWAVE/DISHWASHER/FREEZER SAFE - DURABLE & LONG LASTING: It's flexible yet tear resistant, and designed to withstand thousands of uses under extreme conditions of bitter cold and intense heat (from -40F to up to 480F).

NON-STICK & EASY-TO-CLEAN: No more scrubbing! Even burnt sugar and fat falls off on its on. Just rinse the mat in warm soapy water to clean it. You can also wash it in your dishwasher. Repeated multiple uses and washing cycles do not affect non-stick properties of the mat. After every use and cleanup, it will be just like new again.

PERFECT, CONSISTENT RESULTS: Silicone/fiberglass hybrid construction helps to distribute heat evenly along the entire baking surface therefore you always get perfect consistent results every time you bake - no more burned and under-baked spots. Look at the pictures of the bread I cooked. It's perfect all around!

100% FOOD GRADE SILICONE,FDA and LFGB APPROVED:We are professional to offer the food grade silicone and got FDA and LFGB certification!This mat is made of reinforced fiberglass and food grade silicone.Super Kitchen mats can guaranty your food safe .

PERFECT FOR BAKING and PASTRY MAT :The specially designed silicone pastry/baking mat is 26" by 16".Making the pastries on this mat ,you will save a lot of work!Resists temperatures is from -30°F to 470°F.Because of its food grade silicone,there isn't any bad smell and this mat won't produce any bad things to pollute your food at high temperature.

NON-STICK & EASY TO CLEAN:This mat is nade of food grade silicone,so you will enjoy the best NON-STICK baking mat.No more scrubbing! Even burnt sugar and fat falls off on its on. Just rinse the mat in warm soapy water to clean it and dishwasher safe.

DOUBLE THICKNESS,DURABLE and LASTING:It is 0.7MM thickness and almost two times thicker than other pastry/baking mats which is only 0.4MM.The 0.4MM mat is too thin and soft .This Top quality silicone baking mat can be used more than 5 years.Buy it now!

SUPER KITCHEN GUARANTEE:This High Quality mat can be used more than 5 years .There are an instruction and hair elastic as a GIFT.This premium mat is perfect to give as gift .SUPER KITCHEN guarantee that you don't need any reason to refund this mat!